Supporting structure for trolley-conductors.



W. SGHAAKE.

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR TEOLLEY GONDUOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1912.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

ATTORNEY THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHO-, WASHINGTON. D. C.

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WILLIAM sCHAAKn, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 wnsrINenonsn V ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING CCMPANY, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Pon- 'rnoLLnY-CoNnUCTons.

Application filed .Tune 14, 1912. Serial No. 203,593.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SCHAAKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Supporting Structures for Trolley-Conductors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to supporting structures for trolley conductors, and it has special reference to the suspension of, trolley conductors upon curves of a high speed railway or railroad electrification.

The object of my invention is to simplify and improve the construction and operation of suspension structures of the above-indicated character, and to provide an inexpensive and durable, device that shall effectively overcome the'difiiculties heretofore experienced in the use of devices of this general class.

Upon high speed railways and railroad electrification, it has been the customary practice to employ the well known catenary form of overhead'line suspension, whereby the trolley conductor is supported substantially parallel to the track without any sags. Thus, the rapidly moving trolley or ourrent-collecting device is readily maintained in engagement with the trolley conductor, and the conductor is not subjected to eX- cessive wear and deterioration due to poor electrical contact between the current-collecting trolley and the conductor, nor to heavy hammer blows at the points of suspension. However, when this type of line construction is employed at curves, a considerable lateral tension is exerted upon the trolley conductor which tends to displace the conductor from its proper position with respect to the underlying tracks. In order to overcome this difficulty, steadying arms have been employed which are 'pivotally mounted to the poles or supporting structures and which have their free ends attached to the trolley conductor and serve 'to take the lateral strains and to maintain the conductor in its proper position. However, the heavy strains upon the conductor lecting devices, and these hard spots Specification of Letters I atent. Patehted gg'; x

. According to my'present invention,I pro pose to provide a steadyingarm which shall effectively prevent any displa'cement of the trolley conductor and which shall embody suitable resilient means for yieldingly: supporting the free end thereof in such a manner as to overcome the difficulties hereinbe,

fore mentioned. Furthermore, I provide means whereby the amount of resiliency may be adjusted as desired in order to accornmodate any existingconditions. My re.- silient supporting means is moreover of par:- ticular advantage in maintainingthe steadying arm in itsproper position and preventing any lateral displacement thereof which 1 i might be. caused by the longitudinal creep age of the trolley conductorJ In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a view in side elevation, of a portion of an overhead line structure embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is an endelevation of, the structure shown in Fig. 1. I

Referring to the drawing, the structure shown comprises a pole or supporting structure 1 having a lateral projecting supporting bracket 2 which is securely held'iriposition by means of a tie rod 3, one end' of which is attached" to the'bracket 2 andfthe other end' of which is secured to the upper end of the supporting structure 1. An insulator 4: is mounted upon the outer end of the supportingbracket 2 by means of a suitable clamping device 5. The insulator 4 and the clamping device 5 pertain only indirectly to my invention, and'the specific construction thereof may be varied solong' as the devices areadapted to perform their ,intended functions. j

A messenger cable 6 is supported upon the insulator 4c, anda trolleyconductor 7 is suspended from the messenger cable 6 at frequent intervals by means of suitable hangers 8 in accordance with thepractice usually employed in connection with catenary line construction. The inner end of a steadying arm 9 of insulating material is pivotally attached to the supporting bracket 2 at a point 10,and its outer end is provided with a clamping device 11 which is attached to the trolley conductor 7 in a well known manner. Obviously, any clamping device adapted to accomplish the desired result may'be employed, and, hence, I do not deem it necessary to describe the same, such devices being old and familiar to those skilled in the art.

Secured to the clamping member 11, are a plurality of divergent members 12, which are severally secured to the ends of tension springs 13, the latter being attached to the messenger cable 6 on the respective sides of the insulator 4: by means of adjustable clamping devices 14:. Obviously, any form of adjustable clamping device that is adapted to securely fasten one end of the spring 13 to the cable 6 may be employed.

By reason of the structure just described, it is evident that the free end of the steadying arm 9 is resiliently supported by means of the springs 13, the tension of which may be varied to any desired amount merely by fastening the clamping devices 14 to the cable 6 at the proper points.

I do not wish to be restricted to the specific structural details and arrangement and location of parts hereinbefore set forth, as many modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and such modified structures will secure, to a greater or less degree, the advantages and benefits of my invention. I desire that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an overhead structure for electric railways, the combination with a messenger cable and a support therefor, of a trolley conductor, a clamp for said conductor, a steadying arm secured to said clamp, and a plurality of supporting members that diverge from said clamp to said messenger cable, substantially in the plane of the cable and the trolley conductor.

2. In .an overhead structure for electric railways, the combination with a messenger cable and a support therefor, of a trolley conductor, a pivotally mounted steadying arm secured thereto, and resilient means secured to said messenger cable for yieldingly supporting the free end of said steadying arm.

3. In an overhead structure for electric railways, the combination with a messenger cable and a support therefor, of a trolley conductor, a pivotally mounted steadying arm attached to said conductor, and resilient means associated with the free end of said steadying arm and adjustably secured to said messenger cable on the respective sides of said support.

4. In an overhead structure for electric railways, the combination with a messenger cable and a supporting structure therefor, of a trolley conductor suspended from said cable, a pivotally mounted steadying arm having its free end attached to said trolley conductor, and a plurality of divergent resilient members adjustably secured to the messenger cable and adapted to support the free end of said steadying arm.

5. In an overhead structure for electric railways, thecombination with a messenger cable, a supporting structure therefor and a trolley conductor suspended from said cable, of a steadying arm pivotally attached to said supporting structure and having its free end attached to said trolley conductor, and a pair of resilient members diverging from the trolley conductor end of said steadying arm to the messenger cable for preventing substantial lateral movement of said arm.

6. In an overhead structure for electric railways, the combination with a messenger cable, a supporting structure therefor and a trolley conductor suspended therefrom, of a steadying arm pivotally mounted to said supporting structure and having its free end attached to said trolley conductor, a pair of divergently disposed tension springs severally connected between the free end of said steadying arm and the messenger cable, and adjustable fastening means for severally securing said springs to said messenger cable.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of June,

WILLIAM SCHAAKE. Witnesses:

C. P. EDMUNDS, B. B. HrNEs.

(topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ?atents,

Washington, D. G. 

